Where in the World is Charlie Chaplin?

Sept. 15, 2000

It's the year 2000, but some people have donated lots of money to go back in time... to the early 1920's. For some, it's a case of de ja vu. For others, it's a first time history lesson.

And for Add Lovejoy, it's a little bit of both, with the added challenge of trying to accompany the famed Mister Chaplin on the house organ. The dialogue, explosions, color, and special effects are all missing. That has added a heightened sense of imagination to this forgotten artform of film, an addition that for the young, proves that what's old is new again. "Mr. Chaplin did not need to speak," said Lovejoy. "You can tell exactly what he is feeling by his facial expressions and his mannerisms."

And how does Lovejoy match his keyboard work to the events on the screen? "I've been practicing, watching the movie, ao that I know what is coming next, and I am prepared for the mood changes."

And for the young at heart, it proves that what's old just may not be out of style after all. So where is this time machine? In a building that time almost forgot, until a group a dedicated entertainment fans got together, went back in time, and brought the Tift Theatre back to the future.

This Sunday marks opening day of the new Tift Theater. Everyone is invited. The Tift Theater is in downtown Tifton off Highway 82.